| Baraboo School District | |
|---|---|
 District offices for the school district | |
423 Linn Street Baraboo ,Sauk County,Wisconsin,53913 | |
| District information | |
| Type | Public |
| Grades | Pre-K/K–12 |
| Superintendent | Stephen J. Considine |
| School board | Seven members |
| Chair of the board | Kevin Vodak |
| Schools | Elementary five, Middle one, High one |
| NCES District ID | 5500810[1] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 2,708 |
| Athletic conference | Badger |
| District mascot | Thunderbird |
| Other information | |
| Website | https://www.baraboo.k12.wi.us/ |
TheBaraboo School District is aschool district based in the city ofBaraboo, Wisconsin. It serves the city of Baraboo, and the villages ofWest Baraboo,North Freedom, a portion ofLake Delton, and the surrounding rural area.[2]
| School | Year built | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Baraboo High School | 1960s | |
| Jack Young Middle School | 1979 | |
| Al Behrman Elementary School | 1956 | The $320,555 South School opened in 1956.[3] It is now known as Al Behrman Elementary.[4][5] |
| East Elementary School | 1954 | The $372,998 school opened in 1954.[3] A new library and media center was built circa June 2015.[6] |
| Gordon L. Willson Elementary School | 1970 | The construction occurred in the years 1969 and 1970.[7] In 1986 an addition on the north lawn was being built.[6] In 1987 and 1989 the additions were installed,[7] including a 12 classroom wing. In addition, there was an interior renovation.[6] |
| North Freedom Elementary School | 1902 | It opened in 1902. In 1976 it had the value of $147,000 and was the only elementary school that the district was using that had not been built within 30 years prior.[3] |
| West Kindergarten Center | 1951 | A one story school,[8] previously operating as West Elementary School, it is between Downtown Baraboo and Oschner Park.[9] The West School, built for $261,370, opened 1951, replacing the First Ward School,[3] and the Second Ward School.[10] |
In 1885 the $8,000 First Ward School opened at the intersection of Summit Street and Sixth Avenue.[8]
The Second Ward School, aQueen Anne style building, was built in 1889. TheMadison company Conover & Porter designed it.[11]
On January 9, 1883, the Third Ward School, a six classroom Queen Anne building, opened after having been under construction since 1882. The school was located at Elm Street at Grove Street. The Third Ward had a major population increase due to the 1871 construction of a railroad.[8]
According to the Baraboo Historical Society, in 1950 a fire ruined the First Ward School building.[8] A document posted by the Baraboo Public Library stated that the fire destroyed the Second Ward School Building.[10]
Some former schools were acquired by the district in the 1960s.[3] Lyons, now known as West Baraboo, was served by a wood schoolhouse until a permanent brick one was built in 1901. The former wood building became a storage unit and was relocated to Oschner Park. The brick building was razed in 1981.[11] The $56,444 Pleasant Valley School opened in 1956. The $93,889 Fairfield Center School,[3] located 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of the center of Baraboo,[12] opened in 1960.[3]
The current interimsuperintendent is Stephen J. Considine who took over after the resignation of Dr. Rainey Briggs.[13] On April 14th, Considine was selected for the next superintendent term starting July 1, 2025.[14] Briggs served from July 1, 2021 until February 10, 2025.[15]
The district is run by a seven-member school board. Members are elected in April for staggered three-year terms.
| Position | Name | Assumed office | Term ends | Electoral history | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | Kevin Vodak | April 28, 2025 | Lost the 2025 election. | [16][17] | |
| Vice President | Dr. Katie Kalish | April 28, 2025 | Did not run again. | [16][18] | |
| Board Clerk | Dr. Amy DeLong | [16] | |||
| Treasurer | Tim Heilman | [16] | |||
| Board Member | Carolyn Bonanno | [16] | |||
| Board Member | Gwynne Peterson | [16] | |||
| Board Member | Joey Rivas | [16] |
The first school in Baraboo opened in 1843. A school district was organized a year later.[19]
The City of Baraboo incorporated in 1882.[8] When the school district was first established, the district was solely within the City of Baraboo; the district charged tuition for students living inWest Baraboo in other surrounding areas. The Mayor of Baraboo appointed members of the school board.[3]
The city had three wards upon its creation, and the initial plan was that one school building would serve one ward. New schools were built to serve those wards.[8]
The board system changed to one where citizens vote for board members in 1938. The district expanded in size in 1961-1962, so areas previously paying tuition no longer had to.[3]
Education inSauk County, Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|
| School districts |  | |
| High schools | ||
| Tertiary |
| |
| Libraries | ||